20 Praiseworthy Pizzas

Aug 29, 2017 03:08PM
● Published by Morgan Cásarez

Lombardi’s—America’s first pizzeria—opened its doors in New York City’s Little Italy in 1905. More than a century later, the family-owned business is still serving up the Margherita that put it on the map. Whole-milk mozzarella, tomato sauce, grated Romano and fresh basil atop a thin, coal-baked crust continue to attract visitors from all over the world. The Big Apple will forever lay claim to the nation’s oldest pizzeria, but that certainly doesn’t make California slices any less celebrated. In fact, some of the state’s most mouthwatering pies are right here in our own backyard. Whether you crave wood-fired, deep dish, vegetarian, classic or something slightly unconventional, you’re sure to find a new favorite among Style’s list of the very best pizzas. In no particular order…

Happy Hour runs Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m. and includes $3 pizza by the slice. Save even more money by signing up for “Chicago Fire Square Points.” It’s free to join, and every $1 spent=1 point earned. Register online at chicagofire.com/loyalty to receive:

• Free deep-dish delight on your birthday

• Free specialty pizza for every 500 points earned

• Free corkage

TOP IT OFF

A 2016 Harris Poll asked adults in the U.S. to name their favorite and least favorite pizza toppings. Did yours make the list?

The Steve’s Pizza VIP Club delivers exclusive offers, specials, promotions and events straight to your inbox (stevespizza.com/join-our-vip-club). They also offer delivery and 14 (constantly rotating) taps in addition to a “bucket of 5 bottles” (mixed and matched beers) for $13.

Let the kids be chef for a day with Skippolini’s Junior Chef Pizza. For $8.95 (plus $.50 per topping), they’ll love building their own pepperoni or cheese pizza right at the dinner table. What’s more, they have an outdoor play structure, making it the ultimate pizza party for all ages!

They cater weddings and private parties, and this month can be found at the Old Town Auburn Farmers’ Market every Saturday (8 a.m.-noon), Crooked Lane Brewery on September 1 and 7 (4-8 p.m.), Moonraker Brewing Company on September 8 and 28 (4-8 p.m.), and “Off the Grid Food Truck Lunch” at the Rancho Cordova City Hall on September 21 (11 a.m.-2 p.m.).

RECORD-BREAKING PIES

These Guinness World Record holders turned pie-in-the-sky dreams into reality!

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More than 50 bakers gathered in Rome this summer to make the most pizzas ever in just one hour. The result? Seven ovens produced a staggering 1,500 pies.

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In April, New York’s Industry Kitchen started serving up the world’s most expensive commercially available pizza. The $2,700 price tag (that’s before tax and tip) on the aptly named “24K” gets you a wood-fired delicacy topped with Stilton cheese, foie gras, French truffles, 24K gold leaves, and not one, but two different types of caviar!

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Scott Wiener of New York holds the record for largest collection of pizza boxes. He has 1,300 different boxes stashed in the closets of his Brooklyn apartment.

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Kelvin Medina of the Philippines inhaled a 12-inch pizza in just 23.62 seconds on April 12, 2015.

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The Giant Sicilian at Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria in Los Angeles is the largest deliverable pizza in the world. The 54” x 54” behemoth feeds 50-70 people and will set you back just $249 for a cheese pie. Each additional topping is $19.99.

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Pizzas 4 Patriots is an Illinois-based nonprofit dedicated to sending a slice of home to active service members. On July 4, 2012, they made the world’s largest delivery, sending 30,000, 12-inch pizzas to troops in Afghanistan with the help of DHL.

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Joe Carlucci holds the title for “Highest Pizza Toss”—in April 2006, he sent 20 ounces of dough flying just over two stories high at the Mall of America in Minneapolis.

Don’t miss their lunch buffet! Served Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., fill up on pizza (both traditional and authentic Indian offerings) and salad. They also offer delivery, vegan cheese and halal meat.

If you like the heat, “ask for it spicy!” Weekly events include Acoustic Tuesday from 7-10 p.m. and Music Trivia Wednesday from 7-11 p.m.; Happy Hour is from 3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m.-close Monday-Friday and includes $4, $5 and $7 cocktails, pints, wines and small bites.

In El Dorado Hills, take 50-percent off all pizzas during “Monday Madness” (excludes personal, gluten-free and kids’ pizzas) and enjoy $4 pints of select craft beer. From Monday-Friday (8 p.m.-close) and Saturday-Sunday (9 p.m.-close), they host a “Late-Night” Happy Hour where you can get 50-percent off a small or medium one-topping pizza. In Folsom, kids eat free on Sundays from the kids’ menu (with purchase of an adult entrée); on Mondays, take 50-percent off a medium pizza or larger (dine in) or 30-percent off for takeout, and enjoy all day Happy Hour drinks; on “Wine Wednesdays,” house wine is $4 and premium bottles are half off.

PEA PESTO PIZZA WITH RICOTTA, SHAVED ASPARAGUS AND BASIL

Recipe and photos submitted by Bella Karragiannidis of ful-filled.com; @ful.filled

FOR THE PEA PESTO:

16 oz. (1 lb.) fresh peas (or thawed if using frozen)

1/4 cup roasted unsalted pistachios, shelled

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped

1 tsp. lemon zest

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup Parmesan (or omit to make dairy-free)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Begin by blanching the peas in boiling water for 2 minutes and then move them to an ice bath to chill. Remove the peas from the water once chilled. Add the chilled peas, mint, olive oil, lemon zest and Parmesan (if omitting Parmesan add a generous pinch of salt). Pulse in a food processor until ingredients are well combined, but not smooth—you want the pesto to have a bit of texture. Taste the pesto for seasoning; add salt to taste as necessary. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. Pea pesto will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

FOR THE PIZZA:

16 oz. (1 lb.) pizza dough + flour for dusting

Pea pesto (see above)

16 oz. ricotta cheese

1 bunch of asparagus, shaved and chilled in an ice bath

Extra virgin olive oil

Parmesan cheese

Lemon zest

Red crushed pepper

Fresh basil

Preheat oven to 500°F (if you have a pizza stone, preheat the oven with the pizza stone in the top 1/3 of the oven). Shape pizza dough into 1 large round or 2 small rounds, flouring your surface as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Transfer shaped dough to a sheet of parchment paper. Spread dough with pea pesto, leaving about 1 1/2 inch of dough at the edges bare. Dollop ricotta over the top of the pesto. Place pizza with parchment paper on top of a pizza peel and slide it into the oven onto the pizza stone (if not using a pizza stone, place pizza with parchment onto a baking sheet). Bake pizza for 7-10 minutes until crust is golden and bubbly. Remove pizza from the oven and top with shaved asparagus (drain asparagus from the ice water first) followed by a drizzle of olive oil, Parmesan, chili flakes, lemon zest and fresh basil. Slice and serve.

Ful-filled was created by Bella and her husband who live in Roseville. They’re firm believers that changing the current culture of food and health begins in the kitchen. For more info, visit ful-filled.com or follow her on Instagram at @ful.filled.

Their Garlic Chips are notorious for a reason; order them as an appetizer, and thank us later. Lunch specials are served Monday-Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and run the gamut from a three-topping calzone for $12.50 to a two-topping pie for $11.50—both served with a side house or Caesar salad.

For those craving a taste of true New York-style pizza, get into Pronto’s pronto. Owners Diane and Joe Benevento hail from the East Coast and inherited family recipes that are guaranteed to please. Daily specials include two slices and a soda; or one slice, a salad and a soda for $6.

The “Takeout Family Meal Deal” serves four or more and allows you to mix and match your choice of pasta, sauce and salad (plus bread!) for just $25.99. Check out the Style Savings Guide for 25-percent off your total bill.

Stop by on September 10 with your kiddos at 6 p.m. for “Character Dining with Rapunzel,” featuring a sing-along story time, children’s activities, and a photo op—courtesy of The Fairy Godmother Events. Check out the Style Savings Guide for coupons!

THE ORIGIN OF PIZZA

Kids ask the darndest things, but when it comes to “Where does pizza come from?” it’s easy to assume you know the answer. According to wonderopolis.org, an educational resource created by the National Center for Families Learning, the truth depends on a number of factors. For starters, how do we define pizza? The preparation of oven-cooked flatbreads dates back to ancient times in the Middle East, while ancient Greeks and Romans popularized the use of toppings like olive oil and spices. The invention of pizza as we know it today—a combination of tomato sauce, cheese and toppings—is attributed to Raffaele Esposito of Naples, although historians have noted street vendors were selling flatbreads with toppings years prior to his creation of the Margherita in 1889. It was that year when Esporito famously prepared a pizza with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil for King Umberto I and Queen—you guessed it (!)—Margherita of Italy.